The organizers of the renowned Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival have issued a public apology this week regarding significant traffic issues that plagued attendees during the first weekend of this years event. Campers were left stranded in their vehicles for hours as they attempted to access the festival grounds, leading to immense frustration and logistical challenges. In anticipation of the second weekend, festival officials are implementing a series of fixes aimed at preventing a recurrence of these problems.

George Cunningham, the senior vice president of public safety for Goldenvoice, the festival's organizing company, addressed the urgent matter during a meeting with the La Quinta City Council on Tuesday. His statements came in response to numerous accounts from campers who reported wait times exceeding 12 hours as they attempted to enter the Empire Polo Club, the festival's venue, on Thursday, April 10. Overwhelming lines of cars congested surrounding streets, particularly on Monroe and Madison streets, exacerbating the situation.

Cunningham elaborated on the contributing factors to the traffic delays, explaining that an unprecedented influx of early arrivals on Thursday morning created a situation where demand for entry never subsided. Every year, we typically have a lull between 1:00 and 6:00 in the evening, where it just dies down, he remarked. We didnt have that this yeareveryone wanted to come early.

The scheduling of the festivals first Thursday night performance, featuring DJ Chris Lake, also prompted many to arrive sooner than usual. By 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, the festival had already accommodated 6,300 campers, a number that typically wouldnt be reached until much later in the day.

Moreover, the festival faced staffing challenges that hindered their operations, particularly at the 32 tolling stations designated for car security screening on Thursday morning. We had six tolls that were down, Cunningham stated, underscoring the need for improvements. In response to these challenges, plans have been made to enhance staffing levels and ensure that if their current staffing partner cannot meet demand at a given time, alternative solutions will be ready to activate.

In preparation for the second weekend of Coachella and the upcoming Stagecoach country music festival, organizers are adding 12 additional tollbooths for security checks at Lot 2A near Madison Street and Avenue 50. Were going to get (the vehicles) off the streets, and were going to get them into lots so we can lessen the impact on the community, Cunningham promised. While he could not guarantee a completely seamless experience, he assured that the situation would be significantly improved compared to the chaos witnessed on Thursday.

Cunningham also acknowledged that the operational plan would be revisited and potentially adjusted leading into the Stagecoach festival, which is scheduled to take place from April 25-27 at the same venue, should issues not meet the necessary standards.

The traffic problems were met with sharp criticism from local Councilmember Kathleen Fitzpatrick, who resides in close proximity to the Empire Polo Club. I live right there, and Ive lived there for 19 years, she stated during the meeting. Thursday was unacceptable.

Fitzpatrick expressed her outrage, stating, It was unacceptable because I find it reprehensible to invite all of these people into our community and then have no place for them to use facilities for restrooms, no place to get water. It's a total embarrassment. She recounted disturbing reports from residents regarding human waste left on the streets as festivalgoers struggled with limited facilities. How do you reconcile that in our city? she questioned, highlighting the need for more accountability.

Cunningham responded by reiterating the organizers commitment to being mindful of Coachellas impact on the surrounding community. Mayor Pro Tem Deborah McGarrey inquired about how traffic updates are communicated to festivalgoers before they arrive, noting that traffic remained congested along Avenue 54 as late as 9 p.m. on Thursday. Mayor Linda Evans remarked that traffic appeared to flow more smoothly throughout the rest of the weekend and recalled a similar situation back in 2018 when high winds delayed campground openings.

I think a few years go by really smoothly, and then something occurs, Evans reflected. This year, its the addition of a big performer in the campground area, so its a new flex that people werent used to, combined with the situation and the concerns and the issues that occurred.

Tom Coulter, a reporter covering the cities of Palm Desert, La Quinta, Rancho Mirage, and Indian Wells, can be reached at thomas.coulter@desertsun.com.